Thursday, May 31, 2012

June Is World Tea Month in Las Vegas, Says Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman(from a press release)

Will tea ever be as big as coffee? This week in Las Vegas, attendees of World Tea Expo (June 1 - 3), the largest global event for the tea industry, are asking just that. The event is held annually in Las Vegas by locally-based World Tea Media. In fact, tea might be winning the battle against coffee this week as Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman says -- via official proclamation -- June is "World Tea Month," in honor of the event's 10-year anniversary.

Mayor Goodman's official proclamation states: "In honor of World Tea Expo's vision to develop the tea community and bring greater awareness to the tea industry, we declare June to be World Tea Month, to support World Tea Expo's mission to strengthen the message of tea."

World Tea Expo also kicks off National Iced Tea Month and features a special Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, hosted by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

The Expo covers every aspect of tea -- from leaf to cup -- and it gathers some 4,000+ delegates from more than 50 countries. Indeed, all things tea will converge upon Las Vegas for a packed exhibit hall with the very best leafs, blends, pots and tea-related products, as well as the fiercely competitive 2012 Tea Infusion Challenge. Some 200+ vendors are set to showcase hundreds of the freshest new tea products -- unique tea wares, delicious baked-goods, innovative tea products and specialized accessories and gifts. Many Las Vegas hotels, restaurants, spas, retailers and others are also attending World Tea Expo -- the real "tea party" -- to see the next big tea trends and tea products, and to learn about quality tea and how to profit from it.

According to one educated guess from a fairly reliable source there may be as many as almost two million new web addresses registered every year. While web sites come and web sites go, every now and then you run across a golden oldie that probably should have fallen by the wayside by now.

Take Tempest in a Teapot: Tea & Politics & Health, for instance. It’s the online version of “An Exhibit held at the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland April 16, 2001 – October 30, 2001,” one that’s obviously still available for anyone who missed the event some eleven years ago or who would like to revisit it.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Another Round of Tea GadgetsBy William I. Lengeman III

It seems like only yesterday that we last ventured into the great wide world of tea gadgets. But of course the good people who bring us these fine gadgets have not been twiddling their thumbs in the meantime. It would seem that they’ve been working overtime, turning out what appears to be an ever increasing number of said gadgets. So let’s get right to it.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Tea People: David Lee HoffmanBy William I. Lengeman III

Most people who know the name David Lee Hoffman probably know that he was the subject of a documentary film called All in This Tea. The movie premiered in 2007, and I caught up with it a few years later, when I reviewed it here at The English Tea Store Blog.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Tea: a Text Book of Tea Planting and ManufactureBy William I. Lengeman III

Nowadays India takes a back seat in tea production to the nation where the whole tea thing got its start – China. But India can take solace in knowing that the Assam region, in the northeast area of the country, is the single largest growing region in the whole world.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Yerba Mate, the caffeine alternative with the "strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea and the euphoria of chocolate" is now available in a sparkling beverage.

Guayaki Sparkling Yerba Mate beverages – which are sold in 12 oz. SLEEK cans from Rexam – help stimulate focus and clarity and boost physical energy. These lightly carbonated drinks are USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified, and feature a delicious and refreshing taste that is available in cola-flavored Classic Gold, Cranberry Pomegranate and Grapefruit Ginger.

Yerba Mate is made from the naturally caffeinated and nourishing leaves of the South American rainforest holly tree, which contain 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids and abundant antioxidants. For centuries, local tribes have used it as a source of nutrition, rejuvenation, energy, focus and sustenance.

For more than 15 years, Guayaki has been working to make organic, fair-trade Yerba Mate the mainstream energy source of choice. The company sells Yerba Mate in many forms including bottled cold drinks, energy shots, tea bags and loose leaf tea. With its newest expansion into sparkling beverages, Guayaki hopes to make this unique energizing ingredient available to a broader range of consumers.

Friday, May 18, 2012

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

What’s in a Name? – Tea Companies By William I. Lengeman III

According to Inc. Magazine the five characteristics of a great company name are that it should “stick” with those who encounter it; should tend toward brevity; be functional; tell a story; and invent a new language. Whether or not some of the better known tea companies have names that meet those standards is a matter of opinion, but it’s interesting to look at the origins of some of those names nonetheless.

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Clipper Ships, the Cutty Sark & TeaBy William I. Lengeman III

Once upon a time the concept of overnight delivery to far-flung locations, rather than being a notion that most people take for granted, was something closer to a flight of fantasy like walking on the moon or sending vessels to other planets. In a time when most cargo being shipped long distances had to travel by ship such journeys were typically measured in weeks or months rather than days.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Some time ago I ran across a description of a tea book called The Gunpowder Gardens. I never got around to reading it but I'll rectify that oversight since author Jason Goodwin just contacted me to let me know that it's been issued as an ebook. Here's what he has to say about it:

Edgar Award winner Jason Goodwin writes the Yashim thriller series set in 19th century Istanbul, translated into over 40 languages. But it’s not how he began.

In The Gunpowder Gardens or, A Time for Tea: Travels in India and China in Search of Tea, Jason set out to explore the history of the tea trade on the South China coast, the tea auctions of Calcutta and the tea gardens of the Himalayas. ‘The Gunpowder Gardens was the first book I wrote,’ Jason says. ‘It was a spectacular moment for travel-writing, and the story of tea was a fascinating subject.’

Shortlisted for the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, The Gunpowder Gardens takes the reader on a journey through the tea lands of India and China, blending a fascinating account of the history - and flavour - of tea with vivid travel narrative.

With a memorable cast of characters, from Hong Kong’s Professor Tea to The Nose in Darjeeling, The Gunpowder Gardens is often funny, always vivid, and – in the words of The Sunday Times – ‘full of fascination’.

‘Readers are fortunate,’ said the New York Times. ‘Jason Goodwin has been inspired…to devote his funny, evocative first book to the history and geography of tea. … It has summoned up all the tea in China and India. And made one thirst for a spicy cup of the brew.’

Monday, May 14, 2012

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Tea Helps Reduce Parkinson’s Risk?By William I. Lengeman III

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the condition is “a chronic, progressive movement disorder that affects the lives of at least one half million patients across the United States.” The NIH also notes that “currently available pharmacological and surgical treatments provide relief from some motor symptoms, but do not halt the ultimate progression of the disease.”

Saturday, May 12, 2012

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Guarding the Darjeeling BrandBy William I. Lengeman III

Darjeeling is a region in northern India that’s probably best known for the premium quality black tea it turns out. It’s beloved of tea connoisseurs, but oddly enough the total amount of Darjeeling tea sold in a given year is typically greater than the amount grown. Which sounds impossible at first until you realize that some less than scrupulous tea sellers will substitute a tea of lesser quality in order to turn a fast buck by passing it off as Darjeeling.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Elephants, Lifeboats, and Williamson Tea By William I. Lengeman III

When it comes to tea, a company that’s just under a century and a half old is a relative youngster when stacked up against the likes of certain more senior concerns. Take Twinings, for instance. They’ve been doing their thing for 300 years, which is a pretty impressive figure by anyone’s reckoning. But of course 140 odd years – which is how long Williamson Tea has been in business – is hardly anything to sneeze at.

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

No, it's not a misprint. This is actually our first tea review, as it appeared at the site nearly seven years ago. I thought I'd dig it out of the archive and present it again just for the fun of it.

Tea Review 1 - Twinings Red BushRed Bush Herb TeaTwinings of London

Nothing can take the place of tea. Tea, in this case, meaning a beverage made by steeping the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant - in it's black, green, white or yellow formulations - in hot water.

A problem for some tea lovers - present company included - is that tea contains caffeine. For those of us who have a sensitivity to this substance, the pleasures of the tea are somewhat negatively affected. Yes, I know there are various and sundry decaffeinated teas, but I have yet to discover one that doesn't strip out much of the flavor when it removes the caffeine.

Which is where red bush, also known as rooibos, comes into the picture. While it's not quite a caffeine free substitute for black tea, it's close enough to fit the bill until something better comes along.

Rooibos is derived from the Aspalathus linearis plant, which is grown only in the Cedarberg region of South Africa. When brewed it makes a "tea" with a dark tan/reddish color not unlike some varieties of black tea, though with a sweeter and mellower taste.

Twinings of London, one of the bastions of the English tea trade, has been doing their thing since 1706, but only introduced their brand of rooibos in recent years. Unlike so many so-called herbal teas, Twinings' brand of red bush consists of one and only one ingredient - rooibos.

Twinings Red Bush is good for drinking as a hot tea. It has a nice, smooth taste and doesn't suffer from being steeped for longer than the recommended three to five minutes. It also makes a nice iced tea and is especially good when mixed with another type of herbal tea, preferably something fruity. I've found that peach works quite nicely in a ratio of two parts to one part red bush and I usually toss in some loose green tea to spice things up a bit.

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Tea, Variety, and the Spice of LifeBy William I. Lengeman III

“Variety’s the very spice of life,” or so said the English poet William Cowper, which is a name that probably doesn’t turn up in many reading lists nowadays. And while I wouldn’t have much problem choosing black tea as my favorite of the six main types (black, green, oolong, white, yellow, puerh), I have to admit that it’s not long after I start in on a new batch of black tea that I start longing for something else – like green tea.

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Toasted Leaves: An Essay on the Origin of TeaBy William I. Lengeman III

One of the more pervasive legends about tea is that it was supposedly discovered in 2784 B.C. (according to the more detailed accounts) by a Chinese emperor (referred to as Chen Nung in some accounts) who was apparently keen to boil water for sanitary reasons. One day, as the story goes, the emperor was boiling water when some tea leaves were carried aloft on the breeze, landed in the kettle and it occurred to him to drink the resulting brew. The rest was history – or was it?

In late breaking news from China, here comes a report that claims that some of the more rare varieties of spring harvested tea are apparently fetching prices that literally make them worth their weight in gold – or even more. Among those varieties, a Longjing (Dragonwell) green tea from Zhejiang province, which is selling at just over $1,600 per ounce. Which, if my math is correct, works out to about $128 per cup.

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

In addition to publishing Tea Guy Speaks, I'm a regular contributor to The English Tea Store blog. Here's an article I recently wrote for them. Click the link to read the full article.

Tea Pioneers: Thomas LiptonBy William I. Lengeman III

If you ask the average person on the street to name a brand of tea, chances are pretty good that they’re going to come up with Lipton. Which is not surprising, since, as the company points out at their web site, “Lipton is the world’s best-known and best-selling brand of tea.”